It’s a secret, that’s why!

After reading "The da Vinci Code" I was certainly intrigued about the whole, Jesus is married and has a blood-line, theory. Not knowing much about Christianity, it makes for a neutral like me to enjoy the occasional jab at someone else's mysterious religion. And being an agnostic makes it even more fun. Mind you, an atheist would have loaded his gun and gone berserk, and they have. But for me it was entertainment and reading about what people on both sides felt was amusing.

Then last night I watched the National Geographic and the History Channel takes on "decoding" the theories in the book. What they presented was proof that it was all lies, blasphemy and so on. Not that they actually said those words, but anyone would guess that's what they meant. Now who in the world would want to say that I wonder?

Now to be concise, the book states that there was a "secret" society. It was proved that the society as created by some Frenchman just to get his hands on royalty. And it was said that there is no proof that a secret society existed. Now isn't this a contradictory statement in itself? It is secret, hence no proof.

And even if Jesus was married, how would his message change? How would people think, "Oh he was married, then he is not a Messaih!" Just because he did not happen to throw a lavish party calling everyone to his wedding or having his reception at The Plaza, doesn't mean he may not have been married. It might be a stretch to agree that the Priory of Sion existed, but who says it can't. In the world, everyone has the right to question everything, so why have people taken to resentment when such questions are asked?

Like I said before, I am an agnostic and I seem to enjoy conspiracies and so this book was a wonderful read for me. The documentaries providing proof against it were entertaining too. But let's just keep it at that. What people did in India was just another way to get your 15 minutes of fame. In a democratic country like India, the largest I may add, if someone wants to say something against a religion, then he is cursed and burned.

My point is, if something didn't exist, but you cannot prove that it didn't, it may have existed. It's like being innocent until proven guilty.

Two nights to remember!

In North London the world witnessed a master class performance by Manchester United to shove away Arsenal and book a place in a consecutive final, a feat never achieved since 1997. It was a game that was over in the first 11 minutes when a mistake and a brilliant free kick did it for United and Arsenal needing 4 goals to go through.

Now, I won't say that this tie had the same electric feel as past United-Arsenal ties, when they were hustling for the Premiership. It seems that the days are past when Arsenal played with the likes of Henry, Pires, Viera and company against a feisty United team led by Keane. Arséne Wenger is a great coach, but he might have taken it too literally when someone said that he needs a youthful team. His team is nowhere the team Sir Alex played at the emirates. van Persie was back, but he is as fragile as a delicate flower. A small hit and he is out. Fabregas was nowhere and Adebayor, well he is like having nothing.

Ronaldo gave a superb performance, reiterating why he is the best in the world, and send United to the final to be the fist team since 1990 to defend their title. But who would they play?

 

The answer lies with Barcelona. A team who failed to score at home since, ironically, Manchester United visited them last season in the semis. A away goal would do the trick, and it did. And at the expense of Chelsea.

I never liked Chelsea, well, since the day Roman splashed a large wad of cash and they were picking up players like fallen apples. And even with a billion-dollar team, they have not achieved the success many have assumed they would. Ballack, a man who seems to have followed the trail of Sterlings to Stamford Bridge, Drogba, a man no one knew and wish still don't know, Essien, a player not wanting to return to his country to play in the national side, Mikel, who thwarted United's call to go to the cash filled Chelsea and so many others. But last night's game brought out the devils in the Blues. The match started as a football game, but surely ended like a wrestling match. With his call for a handball falling on deaf ears, Ballack decided to crowd the referee into giving a decision he was sure wasn't there to be given because it happened right in front of him. Drogba even got a yellow card for almost attacking the referee and then swearing at the camera.

Drogba my friend, there have been some astonishing acts from you with a little dive here and a little one there, but this trumps it all. And Anelka, who must have learned something from his compatriot Viera got entangled in his own feet and fell and then saw Abidal get a red card for doing nothing. And even then, Chelsea cry foul and say that decisions didn't go their way. Fifteen minutes to add another goal against 10 men with a firing attack was all they needed. Yet when the game ended dashing their hopes for another chance at glory, all they could do was blame someone from UEFA who did not want another all-English final.

I love conspiracies and this is one of them, but really, do you really want to blame someone else, when you know you had every opportunity to get the result and you didn't. Mop it up and look into your own selves and come up with an answer.

Anyways, conspiracies might be a topic for another post. Right now, I look to Rome and United take on Barcelona (a match sure to be dubbed as Ronaldo v Messi, we'll see).

FIA makes new changes for 2010 … now what!

It's a round of new changes for Formula 1 in 2010. This season has seen the cars change their look like a hot babe turning to an old hag. Maybe that is a little extreme. But maybe that has turned the sport upside down, for a good reason. Ferrari and McLaren and BMW were the only names synonymous with the word Championship. But with the latest changes, a new order has some into play; the Illuminati of Formula 1 will certainly be rejoicing.
Now for a further change, FIA has banned refueling of cars while racing. My first reaction, "What the hell man!" But then after a little pondering and reading I have come to realize the decision as a real nice one. First, FIA's decision to do this to make the cars more efficient is a good way to go. Secondly, a qualifying now will mean an actual qualifying. I always have to think about the fuel loads the cars carry. I always think that one driver should have got pole but someone else just put him in second. But then I hear the commentator say that someone might have a heavier fuel load and that is why he is second. Well, I never accepted that kind of a thing. It was never a pure qualifying session. It's too many strategies to think of. It's now a technical race for the shrewd minds and not what racing is ultimately about. Driver skills and car technologies.

And so this rule will make the qualifying session be what it should be, let's see who is the fastest. And that my friends will make that hour wonderful. I always skipped to the final session of qualifying. As Coulthard said, it may be better to come in 11^th rather than 10^th for qualifying. Then the fuel load is not a concern. Now with the new rule, one less thing to worry about

Another change is "no tire warmers". Now there is something that will affect performance. It's going to be very interesting to see what happens with all these new changes. But one thing is sure, this season may just setup a grand finale and will make the next season that much more awesome.

Last week in Manchester ...

A week to remember. Legendary. On Saturday, United hosted Spurs and it was an encore. Remember back to September 2001 when United came back with3 goals down. But this one was bigger and better. As the title hung in the balance of this result.
Then came another big test with Arsenal visiting for the Champions League semis and United won that too. An upper hand there and traveling to London to make it to a consecutive final appearance.
Carlos Tevez still wants to leave. And he has good reason to. No starting place, no consistent games even when he can orchestrate something like what he did during the comeback against Tottenham. Sir Alex says he is important, but will he actually act on his words is something to wait for.
With United traveling north this weekend and Liverpool abut to win easily at Anfield, it's a tough week ahead again.
Wait for it ...